The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-04-28

When we went to Tivoli, or took
other long excursions, the little invalid
was invariably invited to accompany
US and occupy the third seat in our car
rage. It was a queer, swinging affair
in Roman cabs, and decidedly uncom-
Portable. As soon as we were outside
the walls, I was invariably requested by
my aunt to change seats with Filippo
SO that he might lean back costly, and
have all the benefit possible from the
fresh air. I confess that l felt decided
ly ill-natured over this state Of affairs.
One day my aunt planned an excur-
sion to st. Paul's-a beautiful church
on the dreaded Campagna; we were to
take in the Protestant cemetery and
some other sights by the way, so a car
riage was engaged and Filippo was in
vited. Having been notified the day
before, he met us at our own door, and
handed us in with a grand air that
seemed natural to him.
As we drove through the Piazza
Colonna, we stopped for letters at the
p~ost-ofice. There were three; one from
mother-how strangely dear she seemed
in that far distant home of mine! and
two for Aunt Betsey. As she opened
the first, a French bank-note for q
thousand francs fiuttered out and fell to
the ground; Filippo jumped out quickly,
and picked it up.
"What a pretty blue paper!" he said,
innocently, as Aunt Betsey snapped it
carelessly into the leather m~oney-bag
which she wore attached to her belt,
| after a fashion of a time.
YES" I said, hooking his ignorance.
'.that is an invitation to the Queens
Reception. Aunt Betsey is having a
white satin dress made for it"
"Dior' he exclaimed, as Don as he
fathomed my meaning, for my Italian
was vile beyond belief; my lady knows
the QueenP"
''Oh yes; they call each other Betsey
and Margherita when they meet.
Those blue papers
Lily Ami" said my aunt, sharply;
while Filippo looked at me with a pa
thetic, puzzled expression, as if quite
unable to reconcile our very ordinary
style of living and dress with the pos
session of such grand acquaintances.
Before we had driven a dozen yards,
we caught sight of Filippo's step-father
leaning gracefully against one of the
columns forming the portal of the
Doria Palace, and lsjsurely smoking a
cigarette.
Filippo laid one of his little brown
hands on my aunt's shabby glove, and
said, in that sweet voice which always
went straight to her heart: ''Wi1l the
signora allow me to speak a moment to
that viperp Mama mo was asleep
when I crept out, and he must tell her
that I will be gone all day with the
English lady, and not be back until
after sunset"
By this time we had left the indolent
s~critore behind us, but Filippo ran
back and we watched him give his
message, talking with hands, arms,
shoulders and eyes, as his lively race
| are apt to do.
81 hope he'll make him understand
some time to-day!" said Aunt Betsey,
impatiently; but when he came run
ing back, his sunny smile disarmed her
wrath, and she put out her hand to
help him in; quite unnecessarily, for
Filippo could no longer be called an
invalid: remember rejoicing when
he insisted on keeping that uninviting
little third seat, declaring himself to
be quite well again.
At length, we came in sight of the
| Pyramid where the unknown Cesto is
buried; and of the grass-grown noun
tain of broken pottery-the jars in
| which the whole world once sent trib-
ute to Rome; and of the poplars and
stone-pines which shade the little bury
ing-ground where strangers lie. As we
walked under the sunny sky of Italy,
which was to us an ever-new wonder,
a delightful of peace crept over
US. =
I gathered, with Filippo's help, a
bunch of white violets from the grave
of Keats, and copied for Aunt Betsey
the pathetic inscription above his last
home. Little as / knew of his life
and l knew less of his poetry-I could
not help feeling, there at his grave. the
shadow of his life's bitterness and dis
appointment.
As we sauntered out, feeling gently
toward all the world, whom should we
see, leaning lazily against the wall, but
Filippo's step-father, smoking q cigar
cite, and looking precisely the same as
we had left him, miles away, an hour
before.
Aunt Betsey looked sharply al
Filippo, and we both felt uneasy as we
clambered in an gave the order to our
cabby. To our surprise he did not
move, but before my aunt could repeat
the command, the wiper" as Filippo
loved to call him, stepped leisurely for.
ward, and seized the bag in which the
thousand-franc note had been placed
that morning, giving it a sharp jerk.
Fortunately, it was of good English
leather, and stood the strain. My aunt
seized it as well as she could with both
hands, and screamed to the cabman te
drive on; but he sat stolid and passive,
not even turning his head to see the
struggle.
Terrified almost out of my sense, ]
jumped upon the seat, and seized the
whip, at the same time emitting two Oh
three war-whoops in the hope of bring.
ing help, though there was no n ir
sight.
Aunt Betsey held on bravely, and
actually succeeded in starting the horse
"a poor, broken-down old thing, thai
hardly felt the whip through his tough
hide-when Filippo, miserable migrate
jumped out in obedience to his step
fathers command, and seized the ami
NAL by the bit. At the same time, thu
father reached over with his disengag
od o,.m ond a livolv ctruprlo opcuar